Battlefields
by Dark Hikari Twilight
Summary: Genesis's first mission as a SOLDIER 1st Class was supposed to be his chance to prove himself. Instead he's forced to endure the company of Sephiroth, a man he's come to loath during his time at Shirna, but when the mission goes awry, Genesis must come to terms with his feelings for the Silver General.
1. Chapter 1

This is a story written for bibochan on Y!gallery as a gift for all her amazing Gen/Seph art. The prompt was all hers and I was more than happy to write the story out for her. This is just chapter 1, more will follow soon enough.

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Genesis stood getting ready to board the Shinra transport that would take him to Wutai. It was his first mission as a SOLDIER 1st Class, and he was already irritated. He'd thought after everything, his first mission would be alone. That's the way things normally went after all. No, instead, he had to be assigned with that pompous asshole of a Hero, Sephiroth. Back in Banora if you'd told a younger Genesis that he would be going on missions with the "Great Silver General." he would have swooned with happiness. Like a lot of young men and women he'd harbored a crush on Sephiroth. The man had been perfect in his eyes, and heaven help you if you even spoke one word against him.

Reality had a way of shattering your fantasies, and as Genesis worked his way up the ranks, and actually got to interact with the man, he'd found him cold and uncaring. It was almost like the man didn't know how to feel. The ginger had tried to get closer to the man, and thought it had been going well. Sephiroth would talk to him and Angeal, interact a bit when they weren't on duty. As it went Genesis started to lose his boyhood crush, and his hero worship of the man. In its place respect he thought was mutual started to grow and the ginger really thought they might have at least become friends.

Suddenly, however something in Sephiroth changed. The General had begun to distance himself from Genesis, and only Genesis, it seemed Angeal still spoke to the man on a regular basis. It was frustrating, maddening, and just plain insulting to the redhead. Every attempted he'd made to figure out what had happened was rebuffed.

Apparently the Great General found him unworthy of his time. It wasn't a new concept for the red head. A lot of people thought Genesis was unworthy of their time. However this didn't piss him off any less. Any affection or respect he'd ever felt for the man had now been replaced with contempt.

Genesis was jarred from his thoughts as the man of his ire walked out onto the tarmac. Every head present turned to look as the General graced them with his presence. Black coat flowing out as he walked, silver hair fluttering behind him, black boats moving almost soundlessly across the ground. Sephiroth walked with the posture of a living god. Every little movement was control, and as such not even a glance was spared in Genesis's direction which only served to further boil his blood. This was supposed to be his mission, a chance to prove himself. He knew that wouldn't happen with the General here. Any victories won would be attributed to General Sephiroth, and that smug ass bastard knew it.

Suppressing a growl, Genesis climbed in the plane. If Sephiroth couldn't even be bothered to talk to him about the mission, then Genesis wouldn't think about him. Harder said than done when the ginger's temper wasn't easy to control, and he had nothing else to do but let it grow on the flight to Wutai.

It was as such by the time they settled on the landing strip near the command post, Genesis had successfully managed to alienate most of the men serving in his unit. His reputation was well known, and the fact that his hands kept sparking fire as he sat and stewed over the situation caused everyone around him to stay clear. Normally this wouldn't have been an issue but when the man was already angry over avoidance issues it only add fuel to a raging fire.

When he finally did meet Sephiroth's gaze there was a small frown on his features that could almost be taken for concern if Genesis hadn't known better. In his current frame of mine it conveyed nothing but disapproval. The redhead held back a snarl, as he made his way to the command area. Genesis had a right to be there, and Minerva be damned if he was going to let the General take that away from him too.

The path from the plane to the command tent only added to his mood. It was obvious he didn't carry the same presence the illustrious Silver General did. SOLDIERs and infantry alike paid him no heed, except to hurry out of his way as he passed. Most were caught up in their own personal lives, gossiping just outside their assigned tents, or running for the makeshift mess hall. Genesis had long ago learned to filter out the background noise his ears could pick up, but as it was he could focus on certain keywords and phrases.. _"Oh my Gaia did you see that Sephiroth's here! We'll probably be going ho-" _Genesis shut them out, not needing to hear more whispers of how wonderful Sephiroth was.

The air was hot and humid in the dense Wutai jungle, one of the few things he was thankful for, it was close to Banora's weather and much preferable to the dry desert heat, or the could chilly air of the north. Bird were singing in the trees, but the natural beauty was lost on the commander as he reached his destination.

As he opened the burlap tent flap he saw an older man, dressed in an officer's uniform, graying hair, tall with a thin face that hadn't aged well. The officer was standing there leaning over some maps placed upon a center table. Around them were board with various notes and battle plans, and even more maps of different areas pinned up. . As man glanced up and spotted Genesis, a bit of disappointment flashed across his features and he turned away a bit dismissively from the crimson SOLDIER. It was obvious he wasn't the person that the man had been waiting for, and Genesis's own demeanor fell further. He was worth something damnit, and right now the urge to prove that to this pompous old man rose, as did the need to fireball him in the face for the insult. Sephiroth chose this time to enter, and again didn't even look at Genesis. Only adding to the tension that apparently only the ginger could feel. As the Officer looked up, his expression transformed, slipping from a passively dismissive mask to something a little more pleased.

"Ah just who I was waiting for." the man smiled, obviously directed at Sephiroth rather than the ginger, as Genesis crossed his arms, temper barely contained.

The General nodded, not correcting him that this was technically Genesis's mission. Which spoke volumes to the slighted man about what Sephiroth's opinion on the matter truly was. Both seemed go about the meeting leaving the new 1st to stand there arms crossed seething. Genesis hated being ignored, even if he was accustom to it, but the situation reminded him far too much of dealing with his parents as a small child, and the last thing the ginger wanted to feel like right now was an adolescent vying for his mother and father's attention.

"The men are doing well, sir, considering the hot zone. Your arrival has greatly increased morale around the base. Some of the troops were worried about our success here." The commander explained, looking at the General with a bit of pride and awe. "We've been pushed back several yards by Wutai's guerrilla tactics. They seem almost impossible to corner."

Sephiroth moved to look at the map, expression never changing, nor did his eyes shift from the paper splayed out in front of him as he ran his index finger across it mimicking the path of troops. "Not surprising, the forest in this area is dense, and they've had generations to learn the paths through it." the General observed.

Genesis stepped off the wall, a wave of forced confidence over taking him, and took a look at the map as well. He didn't make it this far just to sit and fume across the room. His blue eyes focused and scanned the map for a few moments. There were skirmishes marked all up and down. "They are grouped somewhere to the north." Finally he stated pointing to an area of thick forest on the map. "I'm sure of it. All the attacks but a few come from that angle." He pointed out running his red gloved finger along the map as well. "And the ones that don't are likely just meant to throw us off their trail."

The commanding officer was about to say something when Sephiroth cut him off. "You are right." he acknowledged plainly, having come to the same conclusion right before Genesis spoke. "Why don't you take a small unit of men to investigate the area?"

Genesis looked up slightly surprised after everything else he hadn't expected Sephiroth to talk to him let alone recommend he take charge of something. His spirits rose a bit, and again he was reminded of a child reacting to a parent's praise, If that was not enough to aggravate the ginger again the commander's next words were "I think the men would be more comfortable if you led them General, Sir."

Genesis's temper flared again ready to snap at the older male, who knew nothing of the dangerous rope he was walking. Sephiroth spoke up, just in time to save the officer from the activation of Genesis's fire materia. The General's own tone a bit clipped as he voiced his opinion. "I've got other business to attend to. Rhapsodos here will do just fine. The men are SOLDIERs they know how to follow orders." With that he left, coat and hair flaring out behind him. Genesis was still angry. It seemed he'd been dismissed on a wayward mission to get him out from under foot. The tone that Sephiroth had used left the impression on the ginger that this entire situation was beneath him.

He himself stormed out of the command tent, people darting out of his path. He'd take this mission and turn it into a real victory. Then maybe someone might actually acknowledge him.

As the ginger entered his personal tent, he hit the bed. Genesis didn't even know why Sephiroth was here. This mission didn't need him. Sure it was an unstable zone but there were many other places the General would be more useful. A bitter laugh fell from his lips. Maybe the man just had it out for him. When Genesis had thought they were becoming close he'd shared his desire of becoming a hero himself with Sephiroth. Perhaps the man was trying to take that from him too? It didn't matter, he didn't know what he'd done to get on the General's bad side but he would pick up and move on, and prove to *everyone* who and what he was.

Quickly he sorted through his items. Switching out a few materia in Rapier and his bracer. His beloved fire materia would always stay slotted, but this was more of a stealth mission and required a bit more finesse. When he was done he pulled out Loveless, closing his eyes he relaxed against his cot. Reading a few lines to calm himself down before he addressed the men he would be taking with him.

They wouldn't be able to leave until morning, the sun would be setting soon, but he could at least make sure they were prepared.

Morning brought a bit of a better mood for Genesis. Loveless always seemed to calm his fiery nature better than anything else. As he exited the tent a bit of nervous anxiety overtook him. This was his chance, his first real mission as a leader not a follower. He hadn't seen Sephiroth at all as he made his rounds around the camp, another thing to add to his growing mood. The less he saw of the man the better, at least in his opinion.

He went to find the men he'd been assigned. All of them were Seconds, he realized looking over the roster, the rank he had served under no less than a month ago. The camp was silent compared to the day before. It was early yet, and most of the unit wouldn't have to wake for another hour. As it was the sun had yet to crack the horizon and began its daily trek across the sky.

Genesis found the men in the mess hall, or he at least assumed they were the one's he had been assigned. They sat quietly drinking their coffee and eating the rations they'd been supplied. The cooks were not up yet, and so they'd been forced to rely on cold cereal. At least the milk was fresh.

One glanced up at him, bleary eyed, nudging the men next to him. The other looked up and caught Genesis's eye and seemed to sit up straighter. A smile fell across the crimson first's lips, he wasn't Sephiroth but these men obviously knew how to respect a superior officer.

Walking over he collected his own cup of coffee, taking a small pastry for sustenance rather than the meal the others had favored. "You can relax a bit." he offered, while he enjoyed the tenseness a bit, he realized that it would not do well in the long run to force his men to stay at attention the entire time. "Finish your meal and we'll be ready to go." Genesis offered taking a moment to look over the SOLDIERs.

They were all slender, closer to his own build, and best for recon work. He had no doubts that they would be able to keep up with him. Normally the ginger wouldn't have paid them much mind but these were the first men who had ever been truly assigned to _him. _

One of them seemed like quite a looker, tall, fine features, and light blond hair. The ginger felt a pang of sympathy for him. Being a good looking man in a place like Shinra could lead to some rough situations, something he had learned from personal experience.

His eyes however left the blonde and settled on one of the two brunettes in his midst. The first had a faint scar running down his cheek and for a moment Genesis thought about asking him how he got it but brushed the notion off. He wasn't here for stories, no matter how much he might enjoy them. Quickly his eyes moved on to the other man with brown hair, albeit a bit longer. He appeared to be slightly taller than his counterpart, where the first man's hair had been cut short, this man had his hair long enough to pull into a ponytail. A smile crossed his face as he told a joke, and Genesis realize he was far more awake than the other men in his company. It was a good trait to be sure.

The final member of his little ensemble, also seemed to be the most withdrawn. He sat with posture that said, "don't talk to me." even the men around him didn't seem to notice or care. He hadn't spoken once and barely made eye contact with Genesis. It was another mystery to be sure, but one Genesis didn't feel like cracking at the moment.

He let them eat without interruption and when the were finished they filed out of the food tent just like the SOLDIER's they were. Sometimes the redhead had to remember he really was the only one who dared insubordination for trivial things. A small part of him thought he might just have to go back and apologize to some of his unit leaders over the years, but at the same time realized it was something his pride would never allow him to do.

As he had speculated the forest itself wasn't too different to the ones that surrounded his home town. He might not have known his way around the foliage as well as the natives but he definitely had a leg up on those who grew up surrounded by the metal of Midgar. A canopy of bright green leaves blocked out most of the sunlight overhead, leaving an almost ethereal glow on the ground below. Creatures of various shapes and sizes skittered below their feet but nothing that required either Rapier or Genesis's precious materia crossed their path. Even so the trip to the area Genesis had marked as their base took the better part of the day. And the 1st Class SOLDIER found himself thankful that their trip had been as easy as it was. There was still a bit of pensiveness to him however. Nothing was ever this easy, especially for Genesis Rhapsodos. As it was the sun was lowering on the western horizon when he stopped in a small clearing near where he thought they need to be. "Stay here, and stay hidden." He ordered his men. No matter how skilled they appeared to be he didn't trust them to not give away their position.

He looked around finding what he thought was the trail leading from the clearing to the camp. No doubts entered the commander's mind that the Wutai troops passed through here on a regular basis. Footprints were embedded in the soft soil, the undergrowth had been disturbed, upturned and trampled on. The area was quiet, more so than a heavily forested area should be, giving signs that the wildlife had learned to avoid this area.

A smile graced Genesis's lips as he pushed further, certain he was closing in on the main Wutai base camp. A faint smell of extinguished fire lingered in the air, a scent Genesis would recognize anywhere. As he pushed aside a few leaves to try and get an actual glance at the Wutai camp from the edge of the forest, a confused look crossed his elegant features. "Something's wrong." he whispered to himself, as he tried to piece together where he had messed up his calculations.

Miles back at the base camp things had been relatively quiet. Sephiroth had taken the time to question several of the men who had survived the encounters so far. There truly seemed to be no rhyme or reason to many of the attacks, and often the enemy forces would pull back when it seemed foolish to do so.

The silver General hated when he didn't have all the pieces to a puzzle. It didn't help that he was distracted by Genesis and that current situation, whatever it was. He just didn't understand anything to do with the fiery redhead anymore. The way the man made him feel confused him to no end, the very fact that the man made him feel _anything_ was amazing in and of itself, but pinpointing exactly what those feelings were bothered him even more.

Sephiroth felt the walls he's been building up over the years to protect himself and those around him start to crumble under the fire that was Genesis. He had been trying to figure out what it all meant, taken the time to think in between his duties to Shinra, little as it was. Why the other man had been so aggressive during this time only added to his confusion.

The anger that even he could feel radiating off the man threatened to overwhelm him, even if the source of it eluded him. As it was he had no idea if he would ever figure out the man that was Genesis Rhapsodos.

His thoughts were distracted as such, when the first attack came. An explosion at the forward part of the camp rocked the ground. Quickly he was on his feet running to the battle field, Masamune ready in hand.

The smell of smoke and sulfur already filled the air before he was fully out of his tent. The sun was hanging low in the sky, a fact that played in favor to their enemy. After night had fallen even Sephiroth couldn't track the Wutai.

In a matter of moments several more explosions went off and Sephiroth cursed, whoever had the nerve to attack his camp was going to pay for it in blood. When he arrived where he assumed the initial assault had happened, his gaze found several men down. Debris was everywhere, as even more explosions went off, dust choking the air. He grabbed a rag, that was likely part of a tent's remains and covered his face. Even if he could breath through this, it didn't mean he wanted too. Plus there was always the possibility that they would resort to some kind of gas, and while its effectiveness might not be very high on someone such as Sephiroth, any advantage had to the potential to tip the scales.

"Sir!" A man ran to him, a 3rd class SOLDIER if the uniform was anything to go by. He wasn't much more than 16 , still a child in most people's eyes really. The fact that he had killed his first man, and been cemented in the army by the age of 12 carried no sway as he looked down at the young man who really shouldn't have been here at all.

"What's going on?" Sephiroth demanded calmly despite the situation.

"They're everywhere sir!" He cried, shaking. The young SOLDIER was covered in blood, though whether it was his or a comrade Sephiroth didn't take the time to assess. "We can't even see them before someone else is dead!' it was obvious the SOLDIER was in near hysterics. Sephiroth just held his tongue long ago coming to realize that the average SOLDIER no matter how well trained couldn't be expect to hold himself together under certain stressors.

"I'll take care of it." He assured the boy who ran, someone had given an order to retreat, and Sephiroth wasn't going to fight it. His men were unprepared and only more would fall if he forced them to stay.

As he pressed forward he spotted some of the enemy soldiers. The troops were lingering just on the edge of camp as if awaiting orders. The expressions on their faces conveyed confidence and high spirits. Their reaction when they noticed him however was not quite what he expected. They wore faces of confusion as much as fear. "_He shouldn't be here." _ he heard in their native tongue as they frantically looked back and forth between themselves and 'The Demon of Wutai'

Sephiroth doubted they realized he could understand their language, as he moved to kill them. They ran, but it was pointless, as the fell just as all his enemies did. His calm expressionless mask, a sharp contrast to their looks of horror as Masamune uncaringly pass through them. One however, the one that questioned his presences was spared the General's sword for the moment, as he took the man by his shirt. _"And where exactly should I be?" _ he hissed in Wutain.

The man's eyes went wide and Sephiroth continued. _"Thought you could slaughter my men with impunity? I think not." _ he growled. _"Now tell me where you thought I should be before I do much worse than slit your throat." _

"_North!" _The man cried, and that was enough for Sephiroth. Pieces finally sliding into place, as his eyes narrowed processing everything he knew. They had expected him to scout out the area he had sent Genesis too. Which likely meant that it was a trap.

He had sent Genesis into a trap.

All of his training screamed at him that he needed to stay here, finish taking care of the Wutai assailants. But these had been mere guerilla tactics. Most of the damage had already been done and the enemy was likely already retreating…..Genesis on the other hand.

Decision made he threw the man in his arms, the soldier hit a tree with a sickening thud, but Sephiroth paid it no mind. The desire so great to find Genesis that he used one of his abilities he'd only performed in the lab once before. Shimmering out of existence for a moment, he appeared several miles into the jungle near where he knew Genesis would be.

Quickly he was moving looking for the man who'd occupied to many of his thoughts recently. A feeling of dread coursing through him, that hurt to try and think about. Was Genesis really this important to him?

What he found however were the men he'd sent with the fiery redhead. They were doing their best to hid, but he could easily sense them. His head whipped around to face where they were standing in the foliage. His hair managing to catch the few rays of sunlight to penetrate the canopy of leaves. Boots twisting and crushing leaves under foot as he started them down. The fact that he was coming across as terrifyingly intimidating completely lost on him. "Where is Genesis?" he barked, his normal patients all but gone.

The unit was obviously surprised, and it took a moment for one of them to gather enough composure to answer his question. More in fear for his own life than anything else. quite frankly at the moment however Sephiroth could barely register that he'd startled them, let alone begin to care past the point that it stalled their response. Why it irritated him so would be left for a better time. .

"He ordered us to stay here, while he scouted ahead." The man, a second class Sephiroth couldn't name responded a bit weakly.

The General quelled his anger, he had sent Genesis with these men for a reason. But that could be discussed later, when the ginger_ wasn't _walking into a trap meant for him.

"Head back to camp, this whole endeavor has been a setup." Sephiroth ordered, and the men jumped to their feet quickly following the order, even if they couldn't quell the look of surprise splashed across their faces. Nor the relief that Sephiroth wasn't going to kill them.

That taken care of the General paid them no more mind, moving forward soundlessly into the waiting jungle.

Genesis was surprised at what he found to say the least as blue eyes took in his surroundings. Instead of the enemy camp he was expecting to find, he saw a massive set of old ruins. Large stones stacked high, building walls that would have once been a grand ancient city. Nearly everyone had some kind of carving on it. He'd always had a respect for ancient objects, and slowly he moved up running his hand across an old terracotta statue. Losing himself for just a moment in what might have once been here. It was a hard thing not to do when in the face of something that was so grand and ancient.

The stones had survived weathering well. The area was likely stable, free of flooding and earthquakes, far enough inland to miss most of the worst storms. "Remarkable." he muttered as his eyes caught sight of more of the ruins, forgetting for a moment what he was actually here to find. A street was in his view, or what had once been. He walked down it a bit, still cautious for the men he thought should be here. His eyes however took it all in. A few more statues stood here and there some had toppled, others had their faces shattered and the tragedy of it all caught up with him in his thoughts.

Mako eyes flickered up down the end of the path, and his eyes caught an opening in the smooth stones straight ahead. "Well maybe I've found my base camp after all." he muttered, moving towards his find.

Cautiously he walked through the archway, Rapier held in hand. Again surprise found their way onto his face. There were several runes carved into the smooth stone floor. It was a rather elaborate pattern to be sure, and he couldn't even begin to fathom what they meant. Directly in front of him was a large stone statue holding a massive wicked looking broadsword The paint on it was worn but still vibrant after all this time. Red and blue intertwining up the blade with more runes dancing across its surface. As he attempted to get closer and inspect it, the runes on the floor light up around him, trapping him in place. "What is this?" he cried out as he tried to move again only to be held completely still by whatever power had been activated.

The air was charged with electricity as he continued to try to move, ahead of him the large statue started to move as rocks fell to the floor, and a bit of panic began rising through him. Genesis knew if it struck him dead on while he was out here alone his life would be forfeit. He closed his eyes, and all he could see was Silver hair. _Not now_ his mind screamed. He didn't need to be reminded of the one man who had so thoroughly rejected him. Not when the possibility of dying so thoroughly engrossed him.

All he could do was wait for the blow to come with certainty , but he was startled when instead of being hit from above, he was slammed into from behind. He went flying ahead, just as bone shattering crunch was heard. Instincts kicked in as he spun around wide eyed, as the silver hair that had tormented him so lay nearly crush under the statue's giant stone sword. Sparks of electricity shocking the man as he flailed in agony.

"Sephiroth!" He cried. Immediately using a quake3 spell embedded in Rapier to shatter the statue.

Panic rose again, this time however for different reasons as he knelt beside the man who he could no longer pretend he didn't care about. The idea that the other man could be dead was quickly pushed aside as his mind worked quickly, processing which rocks to move and which would cause further damage if removed too hastily, all while trying to get to Sephiroth. Rock by rock was thrown as if they weighed nothing and dust rose up in Genesis's haste. He was covered in it and coughing but still he didn't stop. When he got enough of the rubble clear, he found the General unconscious but _alive._ That was what mattered.

The ginger immediately cast a cure3 and watching as the wounds that had been inflicted healed only bit. Barely enough to stop the bleeding. "Sephiroth." he cried out again. He remembered his ire at the fact his fire materia never seemed to phase the man has much as it should have. Genesis had cursed this fact over and over, and while he never understood where the man's immunity to materia came from, he was beginning to realize how dangerous of a thing that truly was.

The attack would likely have killed the ginger, or anyone rather than Sephiroth, and it still might if Genesis couldn't get his wounds taken care of properly, that much was painfully clear. He knew he couldn't stay here however, if there were troops in the area, they would certainly be here soon, and he couldn't fight off the army, and protect Sephiroth.

Gently he bent down and lifted the man who had saved his life. Silver hair lying limply against an all too pale face. For him to be so still, so lifeless, it was completely wrong. Normally vibrant mako eyes closed, and the redhead's chest tightened, fighting back an emotional response that would only hinder his current situation. As it was Genesis had never believe that anything could harm Sephiroth, to see it first hand was a bit surreal. To be the cause of it...well it made him sick.

'_I should have known'_ he cursed in his head. Everything was too perfect, and it was too easy to put the pieces left for them together. _'I was careless, and he paid for it." _His mind still analyzing everything. Going over what he had missed. Though the fact that there was nothing to miss should have made him realize how much of a setup it was. Everything was perfect, from the smell of the campfire to the easy path through the forest. He was just so eager to prove himself that he'd lost sight of the truth.

Genesis made his way carefully to the area where he'd left his men only to find them gone. He didn't know whether to be angry or relieved, at least they wouldn't see Sephiroth like this. Or know the true weight of his failure so soon. He cradled the man in his arms. Fighting with his mind over what the right choice was. It was late and the sun was setting. He had to find shelter and a way to tend to the man's injuries. Both were high priorities and he knew if he tried to make it back to the base camp that Sephiroth would likely not survive the night.

The lingering sunlight was already rapidly disappearing as he was forced to fall back on his survival training for the first time when it truly mattered.

He vaguely remembered a cave on the map, and while he imagined the locals would know of it no doubt, he thought at least he could find somewhere to make a defensible position within its depths.. Mind made up, at least as far as the shelter was concerned, the ginger headed that way, hoping he wasn't making another vital mistake.


	2. Chapter 2

Genesis sat with his back against the cave's cold stone wall. Currently Sephiroth was laid out on the hard ground next to a fire the ginger has started with ease. Genesis's own red leather coat splash across the ground as some kind of cushion for the injured General. They'd been here for two hours now, the sun long ago setting behind the horizon.

Luck was almost never on Genesis's side but as he approached the cave, he had found several warnings marking it as 'taboo' and unsafe to enter because of dangerous spirits. His Wutian wasn't perfect but it was good enough thanks to Loveless that he realized that the locals would likely stay far away from his little hideaway. The natives seemed far more superstitious than other cultures, and certainly more so than Genesis himself was. That they called Sephiroth a 'demon' was evidence of this fact. It wasn't simply a title for them, they really thought the man was a hell spawn.

Still, even with the superstition he had taken the General far enough back into the cave so that the light of the fire wouldn't be seen from the entrance.

The ginger had administered some minor first aid, using his own shirt, ripping it into strips, and binding Sephiroth's wounds. The General's natural healing seemed to be responding too slowly, and Genesis was simply at a loss. He was however confident that the other man would survive until morning. The idea that Sephiroth could _die_ even in his current state was so very hard to fathom.

Morning brought a whole new set of issues for the ginger however. He had to contact base camp and his radio was receiving nothing but static. Genesis didn't feel comfortable leaving Sephiroth alone, and yet he couldn't carry him back without greater risk. Part of him hoped that the General would be able to move on his own come sunrise, but he didn't make it this far into SOLDIER on hope, he planned and strategized.

Leaving the other man alone was extremely dangerous, he couldn't defend himself, and there wasn't a person on this continent that would think twice about ending Sephiroth's life if they had the chance. But at the same time, if he was caught with the man on his way back to camp, then he couldn't defend both of them, and fight the battle properly..

"What kind of SOLDIER am I going to be if I can't even make a simple decision." Genesis muttered to himself as his fists met solid ground.

In the end however, tactically, there really was only one choice. The mission had a greater chance of success if he left the General here. Besides if the man did have internal injuries that Genesis didn't know about moving him to much could be dangerous.

The desire to not leave the man was stemming from somewhere else inside him. He pushed it down as best he could, but still he stood and walked over to where Sephiroth was resting, before lowering himself back to the ground near the man's head. Hesitantly he held out his hand. This man had confused him to no end, and honestly he didn't know where he stood with him. First he had thought Sephiroth liked him, at least as a friend and coworker, then he was forced to believe the man hated him, the way he pushed him away couldn't have meant anything else in the crimson SOLDIER's mind.

But now, Sephiroth had risked his own life to save him. Though in all honesty the General may not have understood how badly he was going to be injured. It likely wasn't his intention to end up in this state. It was maddening, and the only person who had the answers to his questions was currently unconscious.

Hand still extended throughout his tumultuous thoughts, he allowed it to ghost over silver hair before being retracted. Mentally he was exhausted, and he needed to rest so that he could make his way back to camp properly in the morning. He stretched out next to Sephiroth, practically speaking it made sense, he would be giving the man extra heat, his skin had felt like ice compared Genesis's the few times he'd come in contact with it.

He resisted the urge to place his head on the other man's stomach for various reasons, most of which involved the fear of injuring Sephiroth further. A deep sigh escaped Genesis's lips as he tried to force himself to sleep. Resting his head against his arm as his eyes studied the General's face. Despite fighting for his life, the man seemed rather peaceful. The sharp expression the man always wore had been erased. "Beautiful." he found himself whispering almost subconsciously. The word jarred him, and a wave of frustration hit him again. There was nothing to prove that the man didn't still hate him, and had only saved him out of some sense of duty. He couldn't afford to let himself think these thoughts about Sephiroth, and in a huff he rolled over, determined not to look at the man, or think about him.

His own personal feelings could wait, he wasn't some damn love struck teenager. (Even if he was only 18) Genesis Rhapsodos was a SOLDIER first class, and he had someone in his care. That in mind he forced his mind to stop its endless wandering, closed his eyes, and went into a light sleep.

As the sun broke over the skyline Genesis was up, there was no more agonizing over the decision he had made the night before. He needed to move quickly now that he had the light of day to do it. There were a few preparations made, he'd cast a barrier spell over Sephiroth's still sleeping form. It would give the unconscious general some form of protection, and the ginger would know if the spell had been broken, either by outside sources, the general himself, or worst case scenario Sephiroth succumbing to his injuries.

"You better be alright." Genesis muttered as he left the cave. Birds were singing with the sunrise, as the creatures of night returned to their dens, and flowers began to open up their soft petals. The grass was still covered in a light layer of dew that clung to Genesis boots as he moved swiftly, yet silently through the forest. Without having to carry Sephiroth, nor worry about the men that had been placed under his command he was able to cover far more ground in less time. The ginger had always been swift and agile. Combined with his intelligence it had been hard to keep the Turks off his case, where most people with his 'qualifications' ended up.. His single minded stubbornness to join SOLDIER and the dramatic flair he used to call attention to himself seemed to be his only saving grace.

It was nearly midday when he closed in on the base camp, record time even for him. As he got closer he slowed his pace. Even before he could see the camp through the trees, the smell of smoke and ash assaulted his senses, a subtle hint of sulfur mixed in. Drawing Rapier his eyes went to the sky, but the canopy was too dense for him to get a visual on the sky. Slowly he stalked towards the area, the leaves under his boots barely crunching. Genesis's breath hitched as the last of the foliage in his way part given him a view of the camp. Or at least what had been the camp.

Now that he could see it, his nose managed to pull the smell of dried blood out of the mix. He'd grown used to the coppery smell of the fresh crimson liquid on the battlefield, but this left over massacre was something else entirely.

Massacre seemed like a light word for the scene before Genesis however. Bodies were everywhere, most blown apart. The makeshift tents that had housed them were nothing but ribbons, and even with what the ginger had seen during his service, his stomach was on the verge of expelling itself.

As the shock wore off, his mind clicked back into high gear. These people were dead, and there wasn't anything he could do for them. Sephiroth however was alive, at least for the moment. Genesis had intended to bring a medical team back with him, but that was impossible now. Cautiously he made his way to the infirmary tent, the enemy could still be about, and paused. Most of these men he'd barely seen, but looking up at him from the ground was one of the men who he'd been assigned. The eyes were cold and dead, blood having dried on the man's chest, and down the side of his lips.

This was someone who had relied on him, and now he was lying cold and stiff in the dirt of some foreign land because of the decisions Genesis had made. The last bit of restraint broke, and the bile in his stomach rose up, as he nearly fell to the ground. The new First hadn't cared much for many of the men in this unit, but they had been _his. _ They were all gone now.

Another mental chore done as he pulled himself together, Sephiroth was still dying, and he had to find a way to contact Shinra. Ending his journey to the large white tent that housed the wounded he found it devastatingly empty. A sign of how fast the attacks had come. Thankfully he realized most of the supplies were still intact.

Apparently the Wutian had no interest in taking these particular spoils and Genesis was grateful as he grabbed a soft leather medical bag. He tossed all manner of bandages, antiseptic, antidotes, remedies, high potions and pain killers, and anything else he thought the General might need. It was true materia could heal most injuries, but finding people with the reserves to heal an entire army was rare, therefore more often than not, non-fatal injuries were dealt with the old fashion way.

When he was finished there he slipped out, taking a quick look around. Genesis hadn't sensed anything but the Wutai had proven more the tricky even for Shinra's SOLDIERs. His next stop was the communications tent, with the medical supplies in tact he had assumed that the radio and telegraph would be as well. Oddly enough Genesis knew how to use Morse Code not because it was required SOLDIER skill- only those in communication were required to know it- but because of his family's business. Banora was fairly remote and often times the phone lines were bad. Telegraphs were more reliable when dealing with shipping dates and order volumes.

A curse left the otherwise eloquent mouth as the flap revealed that Genesis was not nearly as lucky in this case. Everything including the wiring was gone. Tables where the equipment once sat where on their sides, and a few loose pieces of paper scattered across the floor. Setting his medical supplies down, he bent over, taking a red gloved hand and picked it up. The dots and dashes across the page meant nothing to most people but the ginger quickly translated them.

_Last Message Received_

_Request for Help submitted_

_Where Is General Sephiroth_

A shaky hand stuff the note in his pocket. At least news of the attack had reached Shinra. But slowly the realization sunk in. They had questioned Sephiroth's whereabouts, which meant that the other man had been gone during the attack. The Wutian had likely been prepared for the other man, to find him gone, they took the opportunity to engage in the wanton slaughter Genesis had returned to.

_Because he was rescuing your sorry ass. _

He had no time for a crisis. His career was likely over because of this abject failure, but that was nothing compared to the lives that had been lost because of his poor decisions. One more still hung in the balance. Grabbing the medical bag, Genesis turned and left the camp, not once looking back.

It was night when the Crimson SOLDIER made his way back to the cave. His ward had never gone off, yet some part of him still hoped Sephiroth would be awake when he returned. An exhausted sigh left his lips as he found the General exactly as he had left him however.

Genesis kneeled beside the other man, slipping his gloves off, and made sure he was still alive. Relief flood through his body as he felt the faint but steady pulse beneath his fingertips. At least not every decision he had made ended disastrously. With Sephiroth's living state confirmed however, the ginger quickly switched gears. Carefully he removed the other man's coat, the wounds still littered his body, even if they had stopped bleeding. Opening the bag he pulled out a rag and some antiseptic, cleaning the wounds with more care than most people thought the fiery redhead could possess.

He took stock of Sephiroth's wounds. There had been a cut across his forehead, but it seemed mostly superficial thankfully. A head injury was not something Genesis could truly deal with. Further down there was a large gash across the man's chest, and he wasn't certain but he thought Sephiroth's right arm might have been broken. A dozen other cuts lined his body, and there was some bruising on his shoulder. A quick glance at the famous black coat would have revealed a deep dent in one of the metal shoulder guards.

Rolling the man on his stomach revealed more damage to his back. A deep cut from his left shoulder blade to where his right kidney would be looked nasty, and still seemed to be leaking blood. Another swear- a record for Genesis in such a short time- left his mouth. He cleaned the wound, and came to the conclusion that it really needed stitches. It was one supply Genesis had failed to acquire. Reaching into the bag he took out a healing salve. He wasn't sure if the concoction would work when Materia did not, but it was worth a try. He popped the lid off and poured the red viscous liquid over the gash. For once in this endeavor he apparently found favor as the wound began to heal. There was still an angry red cut down Sephiroth's back but it was enough for bandages to do the rest.

When he was done, Genesis bandaged the man as best he could. Careful not jar the General. Lastly he took out the remedy, feeding it to Sephiroth, taking caution so that he didn't accidentally choke or drown the man, and sighed. Hopefully whatever was blocking the General's natural healing ability would be alleviated by the remedy.

When his work was done, Genesis sat with his back against the wall. He had left Sephiroth's coat off making it easier for him to change bandages if he needed. The air was hot, and with the fire, the ginger had little concern that Sephiroth would grow to cold without it.

The time to wait had come, for either the General to wake up or for Shinra to find them. (Or the local Wutain). Genesis hated waiting, and at the moment he felt helpless, a state he'd been in far too much of his life, and thought would have disappeared upon his entry in SOLDIER. Everything he had pushed aside earlier came back. Drawing his knees up to his chest he let go a shaky breath. The ginger's only desire had been to prove himself, to become a hero. He had raged against Sephiroth taking that from him, but now… Had the General seen this coming? Did he know how unfit Genesis was for the command position? It would explain why the man had pulled away from him, then refused to leave him alone on such a mission. Sephiroth had even realize he'd needed saving.

"I wonder if they will even let me resign." he muttered into the air. That was the best scenario he could imagine at the moment. His mind getting away from him. Court Marshall was a very real possibility, execution was as well. He had after all injured Shinra's precious General, on top of getting the rest of the base destroyed.

"Sephiroth." he sighed, eyes sweeping over the pale form, lying motionless in front of him. He wondered if it was odd, that when he thought of all the dead men back in the command post he only felt a passing numbness. It was war after all. Every single one of them knew what was at stake. They all had lives, families back home. They were fathers, sons, brothers, husbands, lovers. The details of their lives however didn't interested the ginger anymore now than they had when they were alive.

He mourned them, but it was as a whole, not individually. He questioned if that had been part of his flaw. Had Genesis not cared enough for his men? Did Sephiroth know everyone that served under him by name? The ginger doubted it. It had taken too long for Genesis to even register on the other man's radar for that to be the case. Besides caring about their safety was different than caring about them on a personal level wasn't it?

As his thoughts circled around, he realized it was true. That left the question of Sephiroth blazing across his mind. _I do care about him on a personal level._ Genesis didn't have to wonder what that meant. It wasn't because Sephiroth was well...Sephiroth. His image of the god-like hero had dissolved some time ago. That's why it had hurt horribly when the man had rejected him so thoroughly. The pair had begun to get to know each other, the real person underneath the layers, and apparently there was something about Genesis that the great General had found lacking.

"I wish I knew what it was." The ginger pleaded aloud. He'd sworn he'd never change himself for anyone, but with all his anger stripped away, the desire to fix whatever mistake he'd made rose. It was too late to change things, save the lives that had already been stolen, but perhaps he could at least walk away a better person.

It didn't matter though, when this was over he'd likely never see Sephiroth again, and that knowledge almost hurt worse than, the distance the other man had put between them. A lost opportunity falling through his fingers. It was almost startling to realize that the man's lost companionship hit him harder than the loss of his hero centered childhood dream.

His darkening thoughts were interrupted however as a sound echoed through the cave. Genesis wasn't sure he'd heard it right, as he scrambled next to Sephiroth's side. A moment later, the General's lips parted again. "Genesis" was whispered, not in anger, but almost fear. It startled the ginger for a moment, before he instinctively slipped his hand into Sephiroth's. "I'm here Sephiroth."

The hand tightened around his, something the new First took as a good sign. The General's tense feature's relaxed, and his breathing evened out, and Genesis couldn't help but reach up and stroke the crown of silver hair.

The ginger just sat and held Sephiroth's hand after that. Not sure what to make of it, but was glad he could offer comfort on some level. It made him feel less useless, but after a few minutes, the General started to toss and turn again.

"Sephiroth." Genesis spoke softly.

"Gen." was the response he got, and the word was filled with relief.

Genesis swallowed hard, but fell silent soon after. He started to stoke the other man's hair yet again, but while the calm over the other man lasted longer, it too started to fade. It seemed the General wanted to hear his voice.

"Alright then." Genesis settled himself, in a bit more comfortable position, placing Sephiroth's head in his lap, he did the one thing that came naturally to him. He quoted Loveless. '_When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end The goddess descends from the sky Wings of light and dark spread afar She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting.' _

His voice spoke the words as passionately as if he were speaking to thousands, not one unconscious man. It seemed to do the trick, as Sephiroth stilled again, his features relaxing and his breathing evening out. Soon it seemed that the General had fallen into a sleep pattern, and not mere unconsciousness a good sign for his recovery.

As it was however Genesis couldn't bring himself to move the man from his lap, it was just like this that he himself fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Genesis started awake at the large weight resting on him. As his mind came back into focus and he registered what had occurred over the last two days he settled a bit. However as he looked down, placing a hand on top of Sephiroth's head he realized that the mighty General had rolled over in his sleep and wrapped his arms around the ginger.

It warmed Genesis for many reasons. Combined with Sephiroth's reaction to his presence and voice the previous evening, all thought that the man might hate him had vanished. It also meant he was getting at least a bit better if he was able to move on his own.

Gently, Genesis shook Sephiroth's arm, and softly called his name, hoping the man might wake up. The reaction he got however wasn't anything like he had been expecting. The General seemed to flinch with the motion, and the ginger was caught by how much he looked like a small frightened child. He was certain no one was supposed to see the man this vulnerable, it was like a crime against the universe, and yet here was, Genesis watching it. Gently he brushed the other man's hair. "It's alright Sephiroth, it's just me, Genesis." the word 'Genesis' seemed to calm him and he relaxed in his sleep, but didn't stir further. The ginger didn't have the heart to try again, besides if Sephiroth truly was sleeping it was likely the best thing for him.

Idly he wondered how long it would be until he could expect ShinRa. A few days at most he hoped, Sephiroth was here, and he realized that would expedite the importance of the rescue effort from ShinRa. Not that there would be much of one, and either way Genesis was certain he could take care of them for a few days, longer if required. He had enough rations on him for a day at least, and the local forest would easily provide the rest of the food he needed, and with a river less than a mile to the south, it would give them plenty of water.

Now that he was more awake, he attempted to check over Sephiroth's wounds. The bandages seemed clean, a good sign that everything had stopped bleeding, and nothing had reopened. Genesis hoped that the accelerated healing process had taken hold. If it didn't and Sephiroth got worse he didn't know what he would do. He'd been trained in emergency field medicine, a fancy form of first aid, anything more advanced than what he'd already done would be nearly impossible without risking further damage. No, the General really needed a trained doctor if his symptoms worsened.

A groan, slipped out of Sephiroth's mouth, though the man's features reflected confusion more than pain, and unconsciously Genesis held his breath. Was he becoming restless again? Or was he finally waking up?

A moment later Genesis had his answer as startling green eyes opened up. Truthfully the ginger had never been this close to the other man when they hadn't been fighting. Throughout everything he'd never been able to deny the other man's beauty. It was unearthly, really, the way his silver hair framed his flawless face. Those green eyes, so feral and vibrant. He remembered thinking the poster of the man he'd once owned had held perfection, and then he'd met the man many considered a living god, and his standards of perfection had flown out the window.

"Genesis?" Sephiroth voice was as flawless as ever, even with the note of confusion it held.

"What do you remember?" The ginger questioned immediately. It was important, so he could brief Sephiroth on the situation. They were, after all, still in the middle of a war zone.

The General closed his eyes, as his arms released themselves from Genesis lap, and the man tried to sit up, silver hair rising like a curtain. Sephiroth managed to get himself halfway into a sitting position before collapsing back into Genesis's lap with another groan. The First, displaying more respect than he'd likely shown anyone, just sat there a moment as Sephiroth recovered, and when he tried to move again, Genesis helped him into a sitting position against the cave wall.

No thanks was uttered, but Sephiroth seemed far more relaxed, even if being weak, and showing that weakness to someone else was terrifying for him. Years of practice kept him calm, along with the knowledge that Genesis had obviously survived whatever had happened. He took a deep breath before finally answering the man's question.

"I remember being at the command post, an attack came from the local Wutain troops, I cleared them out." Sephiroth paused in his explanation. What happened next had been… impulsive and reckless. All things he'd never considered himself. But when he thought of Genesis walking into that trap. Well, he hadn't been able to think about anything else clearly.

This is why he needed to distance himself from the ginger, he reminded himself. The man made him do and feel things that were completely illogical. Sephiroth _needed_ to figure out Genesis Rhapsodos. Find answers to the questions the man introduced into his life. If growing up in a lab had taught him anything, is that there was always a solution to a problem, even if you didn't know what it was. A rational mind could solve anything, the only issue was everything about Genesis made him irrational.

Still he needed to continue informing Genesis, so that he could find out why they were camping out in a cave rather than resting back at base camp. "I had deduced from my interaction with the enemy troops that they had thought _I_ would be at the location you had been sent to. Therefore, the entire situation was likely a trap for me. With the camp secure, I headed to your location." He left out the part about the teleporting, he knew it made him different, just like his hair and eyes, something that he loathed. "I found your troops and sent them back to camp, and then the last thing I remember is finding you."

The ginger let out a sigh, at least Sephiroth remembered everything, though if the attack had occurred _before_ the General had left, then how had he come back to so much devastation? Still he nodded, realizing what he needed to inform the man of. "I knew something was wrong at first. The complete lack of enemy troops threw me off and I went to investigate on my own." he started his explanation, "After the incident." Genesis didn't know what else to call it, even if using such a mundane word seemed so wrong, "I carried you out of the area. It was getting late and I knew I couldn't make it back to camp so I found this cave, and brought you here."

"Have you had any contact with the base camp?" Sephiroth asked, still unaware of how much time had passed.

The First sat silent for a moment before continuing his story. "The following morning I debated trying to carry you back to camp, or heading into the camp and bring back help. I chose the latter." He paused another moment, and the General was confused even if he didn't show it on his features. "When I arrived back at the camp I found it in ruins. Whatever attack you witnessed must have been the first wave, because what I came back to was nothing but death and devastation. Everyone was dead. I took a few supplies, and tried to contact ShinRa, but they had taken all the communication equipment. I did find this however." Genesis stated as he pulled out the telegraph note and handed it to Sephiroth. "I bandaged your wounds since materia wouldn't work, that was yesterday. "

Sephiroth registered the fact that he had been out for 2 days, for some it would be rather disturbing, and given the fact they were in the middle of a Wutai hot zone, he was concerned. But he'd been out for longer under Hojo's care before. The paper however, currently held his attention. "Unfortunately, I can't read it."

Genesis was surprised if only for a moment, somewhere in the back of his mind he'd believed Sephiroth could do _everything. _The fact that there was something he could do that Sephiroth could not nearly broke his mind. As it was it took a moment for him to respond again. "I can." he acknowledged pointing to the lines of dots and dashes. "This here says _Last Message Received. _" his finger ran across the line before lowering. "_Request for Help submitted" _ He pointed out. Slowly his finger dropped to the third line as his voice dipped a little bit. "_Where Is General Sephiroth"_

The ginger was fearful that Sephiroth would become enraged at him for causing this mess and dragging him away when he needed to protect the camp. The General however, simply slumped against the rock wall, closing his eyes, and processed what he had just been told. One hand raised shakily to palm his face as he let out a deep breath. "I made a mistake." the tone in his voice however didn't seem to be blaming Genesis but himself and the ginger couldn't help but look on wide eyes. "You are, at least, alright."

As much as he hated to acknowledge the fact he had made a horrific mistake that had taken the lives of his men, it was simply the truth of things, and Sephiroth could never deny that.. If he'd discovered the ambush plans earlier, deduced the trap, then both he and Genesis would have been at the camp during the attack. It was a tactical error and he knew he'd pay dearly for it, more so than he already had, if only at Hojo's hands or his mind own. The ginger was obviously uninjured and that seemed to be the only shining light in this situation. The fact that he did indeed value Genesis's life over the rest of the unit that had been lost was filed under the 'illogical' column.

"Shinra will send out a rescue party soon enough as per protocol. You've done well so far, I must apologize I am not accustomed to being this...indisposed." Sephiroth let out another uncommon sigh as he forced his eyes back open. Seemingly at war with his own body.

Genesis however looked at him in shock, "You saved my life after I made a stupid tactical error, getting yourself severely injured, and you're apologizing?!"

As his eyes mako green eyes turned back to Genesis he had a look of confusion on his features. "I am the commanding officer, it's my job to make sure things go smoothly, there are many things I should have done differently, but my mind has been...off as of late. This situation should have never happened this way and for that I apologize, I am simply grateful that you did not suffer the same fate as the rest of the unit."

Genesis hand's clenched. He held back exploding on the injured General but the fact that even his failures were not his own in Sephiroth's eye angered him. "I was just as much my job to make sure everything went smoothly." he stated with far less fire than what he felt. "I should have realized it, everything fit together to perfectly. Not only that but you were injured because of my actions. I should the one to apologize."

Sephiroth's only response was to close his eyes. It was an uncharacteristic show of weakness but he couldn't help it. He wondered briefly if Hojo hadn't done something to him in his last session with the professor. It wouldn't be the first time the madman had done something to the General without his knowledge just to see how his body would react. Normally he wouldn't have the gall to pull something when he knew Sephiroth was heading out on a mission, but in his last session he hadn't been. Going with Genesis had been a last minute decision.

"This isn't your fault." Sephiroth managed to slip out. "I shouldn't be this injured. There were a lot of factors here. The Wutians fooled both of us, quite a feat, and have likely been planning this for ages. Either way I'll be taking full responsibility for what happened here."

The ginger just looked away, it was really difficult to get mad at Sephiroth when he was this injured, and his words did make sense but still, he stewed a bit. "I can admit my fault here." Though any other time Genesis would likely be making excuses for his actions.

Sephiroth just shook his head. "It's part of being in a position of command. I am above you in rank here. Besides, if you took responsibility for our camp getting destroyed- which again isn't even your fault- they would have you out on the street within the day. I refuse to see your potential wasted. You know where your mistakes were made, which will help you grow as a SOLDIER. Anything further is just a waste."

Genesis's anger was placated as much by Sephiroth's words, as the state the other man was currently in. "I suppose you're right." a sigh escaped his lips at the admission. Though he began to realize that maybe he wasn't going to be thrown out of SOLDIER, which meant he would be staying near the man. Then there was the fact that Sephiroth had given him the highest praise he'd ever heard the man utter. The General pulling rank on him stung a bit, but he'd come to realize the other man obviously didn't hate him. If he had this would have been the perfect opportunity to get rid of him.

Really he should just let the man rest, but he still had burning questions, as he drew his knees up to his chest, and glanced at Sephiroth. The General seemed alright as blue eyes slipped back open. "Why did you come in the first place anyway?" It was the easier of the questions he had to ask, and quite frankly he felt he deserved an explanation.

Sephiroth sat still for awhile, and Genesis thought he had ignored the question as time drew out, but finally the General's lips parted. "I wanted to make sure your first mission went well." he finally admitted. "Obviously that notion was a failure."

Genesis just snorted and almost forgot that this man had been avoiding him for months now. "Well you're just one man. You can't control everything." The ginger stood, stretched, and walked over to where he had started a fire before, reigniting it. "I just, I guess I don't understand why you didn't trust me to complete this on my own. None of us knew what was going to happen." the new First couldn't keep the hurt out of his voice, not have struggling so much to keep his anger in check. The real question he wanted to ask still simmered at the back of his mind.

Sephiroth didn't move as he gazed at the fire rather than the man who had started it. The light danced off the walls of the cave as he took in a deep breath contemplating how to answer the question. Social interactions had always been difficult for him, it was one of the reasons he had avoided them for most of his life...that was until he felt he had a reason to try. The General could tell Genesis was...disappointed perhaps? He wasn't exactly sure of the emotion being displayed but it wasn't the same disappointment Hojo would show and that set him at ease a bit. "I can't say for sure." was the only answer he could give. 'Gut feelings' weren't something Sephiroth ever put much trust in, but he'd been overwhelmed with the desire to accompany Genesis, and in the end he had been right to do so. If he hadn't the ginger would be dead...and that was a scenario he didn't want to think about.

"Can't say for sure?" Genesis's voice was low as a bit of his anger filtered through. His temper got the best of him, as he turned from the flames, that seemed to rise with their master's anger, and sat his sights on Sephiroth. "And what about the time you've spent avoiding me? Do you know how confused you made me? How much it hurt you have you turn your back on me?" he wanted to pull his hair out at the madness. "I was so convinced you hated me, and then you go and do something like this!"

Sephiroth was taken aback by the emotional outburst. He'd been subject to them before, but never from someone he cared to listen to. It was true he had been distancing himself from Genesis, he couldn't deny it. The General had needed the time to think and figure the mysterious redhead out. He hadn't realized the effect that it was having on Genesis. The idea that the man would be this upset had never crossed his mind because he had never dealt with such a thing as friends before. "It seems I must apologize again." one might think someone like ShinRa's General would have a hard time doing so, but he'd spent most of his life doing just that to please people. "There were a lot of things concerning you that confused me as well. I needed time to think about them, and your presence made that difficult. I never intended for it to have an ill effect on you."

Genesis's fiery anger died a bit, as he looked at Sephiroth unsure of what to think about the confession he'd just heard. "I confuse you? Make it hard to think?" he wanted to be hurt by the words, but...the idea of Sephiroth being at a loss over anything, especially him was just mind boggling.

Sephiroth sat silent for a moment again, glad he seemed to have at least quenched the man's anger, and at the same time, feeling a desire to see his fire flare once more, only with some other outlet. How did he explain to Genesis the desire to touch him? To run a hand through those cinnamon tresses? How did he tell the man that when he went to bed at night he was haunted by eyes the color of ice, but that burned like fire? Its why he wanted time to think, but nothing made sense to him. He truly hadn't realized how much time he had taken until confronted. Something had to change, and perhaps this conversation with Genesis was just what he needed to make sense of things. Just, maybe the problem was also the solution?

When he met Genesis's eyes again there were many questions swirling in his cat-like irises. "There are things about you, I just don't understand." Sephiroth started as he moved one of his arms to sit across his lap. "I've never cared for the company of anyone before. Yet I desire to see you, to speak to you. And not just that, I want to touch, and when I see you doing these things with others, even Angeal, something in me… I just." he couldn't finish

"You're jealous." Genesis whispered, nearly astonished. "You're jealous I have other friends?"

"Jealous?" Sephiroth questioned, he'd heard of the concept before, it was considered a negative emotion, but he supposed it fit the situation. "I suppose maybe I am, but why? It doesn't make sense."

Genesis walked back across the cave, boots sliding easily across the smooth stone as he sat down next to Sephiroth again. HIs heart rate had increased, and given what he already knew of the man things were starting to make sense. "I don't know, there can be many reasons for jealousy. It could be simply that you don't have many friends, and have a desire to keep me to yourself." The ginger had to admit he didn't mind the concept, it wasn't like he was extremely fond of other people. "Sometimes however it means more." he ventured, though he didn't elaborate. The idea that Sephiroth felt _that way_ about him was just too hard to believe. To top it of the man was confused by the simple concept of friendship, and Genesis had no desire to make the situation worse.

That train of thought however didn't last long as Sephiroth spoke again. "But Angeal's my friend too correct? Or am I mistaken?"

Genesis simply nodded, as his heart pounded in his chest more, now he remembered, Sephiroth hadn't been avoiding the other man, just him. "He is, at least I assume so. He believed you were at least, the rest is up to how you see him."

Sephiroth simply nodded a bit before he looked back over at Genesis, from the expression on his face the ginger knew he was obviously trying hard to think things through. "I would consider him one yes, he is one of the few people I would trust, and I do enjoy talking to him outside of work related matters. He however, doesn't confuse me the way you do, I don't feel this jealousy related to him. Are you sure then that we were friends?"

Again Genesis resisted the urge to snap at the other man, realizing for once it would only make the situation much worse. "I had thought we were." the ginger did his best to keep his voice neutral but it was hard with so many warring emotions inside him. "What did you think?"

The General sat and analyzed the situation more, watching Genesis intently, before he sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm still confused, I don't know. I enjoy your presence as much as I do Angeal's, if not more. You mean more to me then the rest of the military, those I've met." With the desire to show the other man what he meant, and work through this mess, he reached up and brushed a bit of cinnamon hair out of Genesis's face before resting his hand on the man's cheek. "I don't want to touch anyone else like this." he admitted.

Genesis froze for a second before leaning into the touch, and closing his eyes. For a moment Sephiroth thought he did something wrong, looking at the expression on the ginger's face, before the man brought his own hand up and placed it on top of Sephiroth's.

For his part, Genesis's heart was about to explode out of his chest. Sephiroth had just admitted to wanting to touch him, and then done so. It was far from a confession of love, but for someone who was typically so closed off, the gesture spoke volumes.

"We can still be friends, even if you want to touch." Genesis admitted, not sure how else to handle the situation, he didn't want to set himself up for something that wasn't there. It was easy to forget that Sephiroth didn't understand a lot of social customs. "Can I touch you?" he asked, he wanted to see how the other man would react, seeking permission even though none had been garnered from him.

"You can." Sephiroth acknowledged, though Genesis thought he could hear a touch of disappointment in the other man's voice. The ginger had always been an impulsive person, and he was terrified of ruining what was developing between him and the other man at the moment, but he had to know. Therefore instead of reaching up to touch Sephiroth's face like the other man had done to him, he leaned in and kissed him.

The touch was wonderful, even if Sephiroth's lips felt a bit dry, and Genesis' eyes fluttered tightly shut. The General's mind went blissfully blank for a moment as he found the warmth on his mouth, not sure what he should do, but wanting it to continue, he wrapped his arms around Genesis and tried to move his own lips mimicking what the other man was doing. He heard the ginger make a noise, a happy one, and had a desire rise to hear the sound again, before a sharp pain shot up his side and his eyes flew open, and he let out a groan.

The effect was immediate as Genesis flew off his lap. "I'm sorry!" he cried out, before looking at the man's side, only to find one of the wounds had reopened. Bright red blood was beginning to soak the bandage.

"It's alright, I'll be fine." Sephiroth insisted, as Genesis reached into the bag this time pulling out a potion and handing it to the other man.

The potion seemed to do the trick, as Genesis settled back down next to him, eyes hiding behind his cinnamon bangs. He felt embarrassed for forgetting where they were, and that Sephiroth was injured, but the other man had kissed him back, and not just lightly. "Did I do something wrong?" the General asked, truly confused at Genesis's behavior.

"No." The ginger blurted out quickly, cursing how much he felt like a schoolgirl confessing to their secret crush at the moment. Genesis lifted his face once more to look at Sephiroth, and he couldn't help it as he smiled. "No, you didn't, I'm just sorry I hurt you again."

"Like I said, I am fine, I am simply not use to being cautious of such injuries." The General insisted, before he reached out and touched the redhead again. "And please don't hide your eyes. I like them." Being honest so far has seemed to have given him a lot of ground with the redhead, even if he was still slightly confused by all this.

Genesis took a deep breath at the admission, this couldn't be happening, not after he'd been so sure Sephiroth hated him, and part of him wondered if he hadn't actually died back in the ruins. This time he didn't lean in to kiss Sephiroth again, just content to let the man touch him as he shifted so that they were touching again, side by side. The General seemed pleased with this contact as well as he used his thumb to brush Genesis's cheek.

"Is this what friends do?" Sephiroth asked calmly, he'd never done this with Angeal or anyone else.

The ginger hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "No." He admitted before feeling the need to clarify, "It doesn't mean we're not friends however, just that we could be...more." The word had never carried so much weight for Genesis before as he nervously spoke it.

"More?" Sephiroth asked for clarification, staring at the ginger as the light from the flames danced across his face. "What is more than friends?"

The First swallowed a bit before continuing. This was by far the most awkward yet important conversation he had ever been involved in. What term did he use? Boyfriend seemed so juvenile, lovers seemed so strong and terrifying. "That's a question that's stumped a lot of people." he finally replied. "But I wouldn't mind finding the answer with you."

Sephiroth had to admit the idea appealed to him, finding out this 'more' with the other man had potential, especially if it involved sitting here with the man like this, and kissing him again. Which is exactly what he did.


End file.
